The Hive isn't really a bad level. What ticked people off was, specifically, the ability to slap wall boobs and blow up Duke's girlfriends, the Wholsom twins, as these things were percieved as misogynistic.
I haven't run into any wall boobs, but I just beat part 1, maybe they are in part 2? The whole women's bellies thing exploding I definitely found disturbing. I don't think it's misogynistic as much as it is disgusting and I personally wish it hadn't been there.
I feel like the hive in general has just been an attempt to gross the player out with all the slimy stuff. Regardless, I think the game is alright still so I'll keep playing, glad I didn't pay any money for it though because it is definitely unpolished and if it keeps that creepy pregnant women exploding thing up I don't think I'll be able to make it through.
Still like it more than the first Half Life, somewhat.... EDIT: Nevermind the Half Life comparison >.>
People were hating on Duke Nukem for being misogynistic?
Yeah, I am not a Duke fan so I was barely following it before it came out but I remember feminists on Reddit up in arms about slapping some girls ass in capture the flag or something. I didn't care that much so I didn't read into it.
edit: My PC was build for $500 last summer, it plays Skyrim at max settings at 40 FPS outdoors, 60 FPS (capped) indoors. The "$5000 Computer" critique was made completely invalid a long, long time ago. Hell, there was a topic in 2007 about building a $400 computer that ran Crysis effectively.
This man speaks truth, I am not your traditional PC gamer in that I vastly prefer Japanese games, namely old ones, to most American developers and the only Western dev I would say I like as much as the Japanese greats is Michel Ancel. None the less I switched to PC to save money on games, I paid $500 for my tower, I needed a PC anyways but this one can play Skyrim maxed out in 1680 x 1050, Deus Ex HR, Witcher what have you, all very purty. And that graphical powerhouse Duke Nukem Forever, plays that MAXED OUT. A good value.
Also to demonstrate how much I have saved:
Cost of new PC: $525
Amount saved: $446
Games: 27
Cost After: $79
I've purchased 27 multi-platform games -- games that are available on consoles or handhelds -- and I saved $446 on said games during Steam sales or whatever vs. whichever version of the game for consoles was cheapest on Amazon (360 or PS3). Is it exact? No, but I've kept track because I wanted to see if I was actually saving money and this gen I've purchased 100% of my console games from Amazon, or gotten them off Goozex via trades. Bottom line? I saved money.